Loose leaf binder



3, 1955 cs. J. RUNDBLAD ETAL 2,726,659

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed May 5 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 13, 1955 e. ,1. RUNDBLAD ETAL 2,726,659

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed May 5, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eaiiaf;

Dec. 13, 1955 G. J. RUNDBLAD ETAL LOOSE LEAF BINDER I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 5, 1950 United States Patent LOOSE LEAF BINDER George I. Rnndblad, Elmwood" Park, and Eremeldo Cairelli, Chicago, Ill;, assignors' to Wilson-Jones C0mpally, Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Massachusetts Application May- 5, .1950, Serial No.'160,328

2 Claims. (Cl. 129 8) This invention relates to a loose leaf binder and refers particularly to a ratchet lock binder having a latch holding the back sections against accidental separation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a loose leaf binder having separable back sections with a ratchet lock at each end to hold the back sections inany compression position and an independent latch for holding the back sections against accidental separation when the ratchet locks" are in open position. Other objects of. the invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of a loose leaf binder embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail perspective view showing the latch for holding the back sections against accidental separation;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken alongthe line 3-3 ofFigure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top elevation showing one end of each back section inseparated position from the corresponding end of the other back section;-

Figure 5 is an end view of the two back sections separated from each other;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan elevation showing the back sections in compression position;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectionalview,-taken= generally along the line 7-7 of Figure 6, butshowing the back sections in open position; 1

Figure 8 is a crosssectionalview, takenalong the line 8-8 of Figure 6; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the latch for holding the back sections against accidental separation.-

In the drawings the reference numerals 2 and 3"ii1dicate' a pair of back sections arranged in telescoping relationship. The back section 2-comprisesa fiat steel bottom plate 4 having one edge 5 extending upwardly at right angle. A filler sheet 6 of chip board or similar material is juxtaposed against the upper face of bottom plate 4 and the entire back section is bound with some suitable binding material 7 such as leather or imitation leather. Back section 3 comprises a flat steel bottom plate 8 having one edge 9 extending upwardly at right angles similar to the upstanding edge 5 on back section 2. A filler sheet 16, similar to filler sheet 6, is positioned on top of plate 8, and binding material 11, similar to binding material 7, is applied to back section 3.

A metal hinge plate 12 is positioned adjacent the inside surface of the upstanding edge 5 and a strip 13 of fiber, Bakelite, hard rubber or similar material is positioned adjacent the outer surface of edge 5. The hinge plate 12 and outer strip 13 are both secured to edge 5 by means of a plurality of rivets 14. The lower edge of strip 13 preferably extends slightly below the bottom of back section 2 to protect the binding 7 from being scuffed when the binder is being used. A cover member 15 is pivotally secured to the upper edge of hinge plate r g 1C6 2,726,659

12. A plurality of sheet retaining'posts'16 issecured to hinge plate 12 so as to project at right angles towards back section 3.

Back section 3 is provided with a hinge plate 18. and

the upper edge of hinge plate 18 and sheet retaining.

posts 17 are also secured to hinge plate 18 so as to extend in telescoping relationship with the complementary posts projecting from hinge plate 12. As shown, posts 16 are tubular and posts 17 are solidwith a diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of posts 16. that solid posts in staggered relationship may be used instead of the pairs of complementary posts 16 and 17.

A channel member 21 is rigidly secured to each edge of the bottom of back section 2 with the open side of each channel facing the other and positioned above bottom plate 4. The edges of the bottom of back section3 fit within the open sides of channels 21 and rest on ribs 22 which provide clearance between the top surface of back section 2 and the bottom surface of back section 3 to of each edge of back section 3. Each strip 25 has a raised section 26 spaced inwardly of and just below ratchet strip 24. An angularly shaped pawl 27 is pivotally mounted on section 26 by means of a stud 28 which extends through a slot 29. The slot 29 extends longitudinally of strip 25 to permit a slight longitudinal movement of pawl 27. The'stud 28 has a reduced neck 30 which fits snugly in the aperture of pawl 27 and is peened over the top of the lever to secure the stud rigidly to the pawl.

The pawl 27 is in the same horizontal plane as the ratchet 23 and its teeth 31 are shaped to interengage the ratchet teeth 24. One arm of pawl 27 is oflset, as indicated at 32, to permit a portion 33 which extends substantially to the outer edge of back section 3 to overlie the ratchet 23 when the back sections 2 and 3 are inter engaged. A lip 34 is bent upwardly at right angles from the end of portion 33 to facilitate manipulation of the pawl 27. The stud 28 to which the pawl is rigidly fixedf floats in slot 29 and serves as a pivot so that the pawl teeth 31 and ratchet teeth 24 may be interengaged or', disengaged by finger pressure in opposite directions against the-lip 34;

The end of pawl 27 adjacent the teeth 31 is provided with an angularly shaped slot 35. A stud 36, rigidly secured to raised section 26 of strip 25, has a shank passing through .slot 35. The head of stud 36 is larger in diameter than the width of the slot. 37, positioned under raised section 26, has one end secured to stud 28 and its other end secured to a lip or ring 38 struck up from the bottom plate 8 of back section 3. The lip 38 is offset slightly from stud 36 so that the spring 37 tends to hold the pawl teeth 23 against ratchet teeth 24 when lip 34 is moved to the position shown in Figure 6, and tends to hold the pawl away from the ratchet when the lip 34 is moved to the position shown in Figure 4. The spring 37 urges the pawl 27 towards the inner edge of back section 3, thereby causing the edge of slot 35 spaced farthest from this edge to engage against the shank of stud 36. This edge of slot 35 is angular, rather than arcuate, and has a small apex at the junction of the two lines defining it. The spring 37 can not accidentally pull the pawl from one position to the other. The lip 34 must be pushed to force the apex past stud 36 in order to move the pawl from either engaged or disengaged position to the other. Although the tension of spring 37 is strong enough to hold the pawl against accidental displacement Patented Dec. 13,1955.

It. is obvious.

A coiled tension spring.

from either position, it is not strong enough to prevent manipulation of the pawl by finger pressure applied against lip 34.

The latch structure for preventing accidental separation of the back sections when the pawls are disengaged from the ratchets comprises a flat strip 39 of metal extending transversely of back section 2 and rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner. A stop member 40 is welded or otherwise secured to the strip 39 a short distance from the inner edge of the back section. If desired, the stop member 40 may be made integral with the strip 39 by embossing the strip to provide a raised projection similar to the stop member.

A strip 41, extending transversely of back section 3 is secured at one end to back section 3 in position to be aligned with the strip 39 when the back sections 2 and 3 are engaged in their normal telescoping relationship. The strip 41 is offset upwardly, as indicated at 42, to give some resilience to the free end of the strip. The free end of strip 41 is bent downwardly, as indicated at 43, to overhang the inner edge of back section 3 and to engage the metal strip 39.

A slide member 44, extending at right angles to the strip 41, is secured to back section 3 adjacent the inner edge of the back section by means of a pair of studs 45. A slot 46 engages each stud to hold the slide member 44 under the raised portion of the strip 41 and to permit limited sliding movement of the member 44 at right angles to strip 41. The slide member 44 is provided with two fingers 47 and 48 struck upwardly therefrom. The fingers are positioned on opposite sides of strip 41 and both are faced in the same direction. One end of the slide member 44 is bent upwardly to provide a lip 49 so that it can he slid in either direction by finger pressure applied against the lip.

When the slide member is moved forwardly, as viewed in Figure 6, finger 47 engages the upper surface of strip 41 and holds it down so that the end 43 engages the edge of stop member 40 and prevents complete separation of the back sections when they are pulled outwardly with the pawls disengaged from the ratchets. When the slide member is moved in the opposite direction, the finger 48 engages the lower surface of the strip 41 and raises the free end 43 above the plane of the stop member so that the back sections may be completely separated. There is suflicient friction between the slide member 44 and the studs 45 to prevent the slide from moving accidentally from one position to the other. A positive force must be applied against lip 49 to move the slide in either Although we have described a preferred embodiment of our invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, we do not desire to be restricted to the exact details described, except as limited by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of separable telescoping back sections, a stop member on one of said back sections, and a latch on said other back section, said latch comprising a transversely mounted resilient strip having a downturned end overhanging the inner edge of said other back section and engageable with said stop member to prevent accidental separation of said sections, a slide member mounted on said other back section and movable at right angles to said resilient strip, means on said slide member engageable with said strip in one position of said slide member to hold said downturned end in the plane of said stop member, and means on said slide member engageable with said strip in another position of said slide member to lift said downturned end out of the plane of said stop member to permit complete separation of said back sections.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a pair of separable telescoping back sections, a stop member on one of said back sections, and a latch on said other back section, said latch comprising a transversely mounted resilient strip having a downturned end overhanging the inner edge of said other back section and engageable with said stop member to prevent accidental separation of said sections, a slide member mounted on said other back section and movable at right angles to said resilient strip, and a pair of fingers on said slide member, said fingers being alternatively engageable with said resilient strip to hold the downturned end of said strip in the plane of said stop member to prevent separation of said back sections or to lift said downturned end above the plane of said stop member to permit complete separation of said back sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 251,367 King Dec. 27, 1881 679,865 Schult Aug. 6, 1901 776,703 Turck Dec. 6, 1904 1,645,934 Schade Oct. 18, 1927 1,733,548 Martin Oct. 29, 1929 1,930,705 Allen Oct. 17, 1933 1,999,734 McCleary Apr. 30, 1935 2,074,316 Bolton Mar. 16, 1937 2,107,868 McClure Feb. 8, 1938 2,311,091 Schade Feb. 16, 1943 2,553,872 Schade May 22, 1951 

